Criticism of Band Aid – And How to Do It Better

Forty years ago, Bob Geldof launched the Band Aid project to raise awareness of the famine in Ethiopia. However, the portrayal of the African continent, particularly through the song “Do They Know It’s Christmas?”, is increasingly criticized – and rightly so. Musicians like Ed Sheeran have distanced themselves from the initiative, fearing that such projects spread a negative image of Africa. Aino Laberenz discusses this ongoing criticism in an interview with rbb and talks about the alternative approach pursued by the Opera Village.